


Weird Honey

by kittenlasagna



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Humor, Bisexual Richie Tozier, Gay, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, Human Pennywise (IT), M/M, Minor Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Mutual Pining, Pining, Reddie, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-01-21 22:35:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12467452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittenlasagna/pseuds/kittenlasagna
Summary: "Bring me to my knees. His purity fucks with me. Weird honey"---------------------------------Or in which Eddie has boundaries and Richie doesn't know what personal space is.(Inspired by the song 'Weird Honey' By Elvis Depressedly and characters by Stephen Kings 'It'





	1. Before you read

The Losers are all aged up to be about 16-17 and Richie and Eddie aren't friends.

Also, this is a modern day/boarding school  AU and Pennywise isn't how he is in the originals.

I CHANGED THE PLOT, SO IF ANYONE READ THIS BEFORE,,, ITS DIFFERENT NOW.


	2. Bring me to my knees

*Eddie's POV*

EDIT-I CHANGED EDDIES CHARATER A LOT.

// P R O O F R E A D // (By my buddy)

I sat in silence in the car, twirling my thumbs in my lap.

The car dipped and shook as my mom tried to shove all my luggage in the trunk. It had been at least 10 minutes since she had started to try to get my all my stuff to fit in the car. 

I couldn't help but feel very hopeful that maybe my stuff couldn't fit and maybe I could just stay at home and continue being homeschooled. Honestly, the idea of going to boarding school completely repulsed me.

But of course, my mom had the idea stuck in her brain that somehow boarding school would be safer for me. 

More or less, in her own words, she believed that our town was filled with bad influences, drug dealers, stray cats, etcetera and I needed to distance myself from that.

No matter how many times I ran it back in my mind, I failed to understand, in what world does it help a teenage boy to be thrown into a boarding school with other, just as reckless, teenagers help distant me from "bad influences". Not to mention, boarding school kids are probably the home of future drug dealers.

The car continued to shake as I mentally recited all the 'reasons' my mother had pulled out of her ass, which somehow was seemingly enough to convince her to go through with it. 

Building character, proper etiquette, social interactions with good children, the list went on and on with more bullshit that I couldn't even begin to comprehend.

The car halted from its jerking motions and was followed by one final jerk and a loud banging noise.

Looking in the rear-view mirror, I saw none other than my mother with a huge shit eating grin on her face as she ran around the car to the driver's side door. Instantly, as she swung open the door, wind and my overwhelming anxiety flew in.

My mother began speaking to me, but I heard absolutely nothing except my own abrupt thoughts that had suddenly started to race.

My anxieties continued to channel through my mind, and I begin to try to open my mouth to tell my mom that we can't leave yet.

'Sorry mom, my bullshit radar is submerging me into my own form of mental labyrinth hell' I would say if any words could materialize themselves to pass through my lips. 

As my mother slid her way into the front seat, it was obvious that she knew that I would have rather go to a public high school than go to some random boarding school in the middle of Maine. 

She let out a short sigh and set her hand on my shoulder.

"Eddie, honey, I know. Everything is fine. You know I'm doing this for your own good." 

Even though I know she said it with nothing but the best intentions, I couldn't help but feel a returning wave of melancholy wash over me. 

I shifted in my seat, leaning away from my mother's grasp and into the surface of the door instead.

Reluctantly, my mother moved her hand from the spot that I had left it and grabbed the keys, starting the car. 

We sat in the car for awhile, not moving, the soft hum of the car's engine filling some of the silence.

"Eds, you know I'm doing this fo-" She began to repeat.

I groaned, cutting her off before she could finish. 

" Yeah, I know. You're doing this for my own good" I spat. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see she staring at me in bewilderment. Without saying anything, she turned her head to the road and began pulling out of our driveway.

I, of course, wasn't legitimately angry with my mother. Or at least I tried not to be. 

I was mad at myself. 

No matter how much I tried to act like this was the worst thing that could ever happen to me, I knew that in the long run, it would benefit me.

Being that I was homeschooled for most of my life and my mother was a helicopter parent to the extreme, I hadn't really gotten the chance to explore the world, the real world, rather than the one I had been confined to. Somewhere along the way, I had gotten too comfortable with that, the confined world and it wasn't healthy.

I knew it.

My mom knew it.

The whole goddamn Universe knew it. 

I watched the world that I grew to know pass through the window. 

The house I grew up in.

The landscape of the town that I had known so well.

All of it, passing. 

At some point, with the soft sound of my mothers humming and the wind and fall leave hitting the car, I fell asleep. 

The old life that I came to know getting left behind in my dreams and a new one beginning when I woke up.

\----

"Eddie." A voice whispered.

I groaned in response, sifting myself more to the side.

"Eddie," The voice boomed, the owner of the voice was now shaking my shoulders softly.

My eyes peeled open. The blinding sunlight and the faint sound of people chattering took me off guard.

"We're here." my mother said softly, stroking my hair. 

Before I could voice any of my displeasure, she smiled widely and opened her door.

She pranced around the car, popped the trunk and immediately began pulling all my suitcases and gym bags out of it 

I continued to sit in the car, perplexed by everything.

I leaned my body forward and repeatedly began to bang my forehead against the dashboard of the car softly.

After a while, I just stopped and rested my head against the surface of the dashboard. 

I wanted to disappear and go somewhere where boarding schools a didn't exist. 

While having my second mini breakdown of the day I hadn't even noticed that my mother had opened my door. 

She wrapped her hands around my wrists and gently pulled me out of the car.

We both stood there in silence. The parking lot was filled with parents and kids, sharing their goodbyes, crying, laughing, hugging. As I looked around, I thought that maybe this couldn't be as bad and I'd thought it'd be.

All the kids seemed to be somewhat intelligent and clean, unlike my prior assumptions. 

I was pulled out of my thoughts when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me.

"Eds, I love you a lot. You're such a good kid, and I'm going to miss you so much." My mom choked out, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. 

"Mom, please don't do that..." I mumbled, hugging her lightly back. 

"Do what?" 

She wiped away the single tear that had started making its way down the side of her face. Pulling away from the hug, she looked down at my face and suddenly began sobbing uncontrollably.

Even though I was pissed at her for putting me through this when it could have all been avoided, I couldn't help but feel my heart break a little seeing her cry.

She is my mom after all.

"Alright, mom. I love you. I have to go. Now" 

Before I had the chance to break out the waterworks, I grabbed all my luggage and ran, or more like shuffled away from the car.

I could hear my mom calling after me through sobs as I scooted my way from the parking lot and towards the building. 

I stood on the sidewalk in the front of the school, waving to her as she got into her car and pulled out of the parking lot.

Mentally, I restrained the strong urge to a breakdown in the middle of the school's sidewalk, call after her and beg her to take me home.

Shooing those thoughts away before I acted on them, I unzipped my fanny pack and pulled out the white envelope that the school had sent to me. The contents of the letter listed off the schedule of move-in day.

As the letter claimed, the first thing I had to do was find somewhere to drop all my shit off at.

Quickly, I glanced around the school's courtyard for the luggage drop-off station. 

The task didn't prove to be complicated seeing as I instantly spotted the bright yellow banner that was hung above a table that read 'Drop-off area'.

I shuffled my way over there and followed the instructions that the man sitting at the table had given me.

After I passed my luggage over, the man boredly scanned his eyes over a list of names and mumbled to me that my roommate was someone named Richie Tozier.

He grumbled something inaudible and slammed the list back on the table and the blue tablecloth that was draped over the table shook against his palm.

Next to the man, a boy who looked to be a student fished his way through a bin of keys. He pulled a single one out that was connected to a lanyard and what looked to be an i.d. card.

He moved his hand with the key towards me. I inwardly winced and grabbed the key by the tip that the boy was not touching not wanting to make awkward hand contact.

I peered at him through my eyelids, shielding from my own embarrassment. He was giving an awkward stare and he retreated his hands and whipped his palms on his shorts self consciously.

It was obvious that I had made the poor boy feel bad because I didn't want to touch his hand.

It was a while before either of us spoke. The only reason I was still standing there is because I was trying to script up an apology but I just couldn't find the words.

"I-If you n-nuh-need help finding your duh-dorm, you can ask the cuh-curly haired buh-buh-boy. His name is Stanley" the boy stuttered out. It was obvious that he was uncomfortable with my presence. 

For a second, I completed trying to sort out my apology but I had already been standing there for an awkwardly long period of time and I had already done enough damage.

I wanted nothing more than to disappear, just going into orbit, living my days out on Pluto or Saturn.

I inched my way from the table. Not towards the boy 'Stanley', though. I made the mental decision to not embarrass myself any further and avoided any more social interactions for the day. 

Walking across the green grass that filled the school's courtyard, I pulled out the same white envelope. There was a tiny map that listed the basics of the campus.

I scanned over the map, looking for the boys' dormitory. 

Slowly, I found my way to the dorms and entered the building. 

As soon as I came in, of course, there were a group of staff members and students greeting and directing new students. 

I stood in the doorway, contemplating whether or not I really needed help finding my dorm. 

I mentally ran it over and decided that it'd be an in and out operation, they just give me directions to my dorm and then I'd be home free. 

As soon as I got to the table, a kid, 'Mike', his nametag read, asked what I needed help with.

My mouth ran a little dry before I had the chance to respond. 

"Uhm, I was just wondering, where the junior dorms are?" 

He gave me a puzzled look.

"You're a junior, too? I've never seen you before." 

Fuck.

He's trying to make conversation.

"I just transferred in, actually." I mumbled.

The boy instantly broke out into a grin as he spoke.

"Oh, welcome, I'm sorry I didn't get your name." 

"It's Eddie."

"Eddie." he repeated thoughtfully.

He stuck out his hand and reached across the table. It was obvious what he wanted me to do, but it was equally as obvious that I really would rather not. In realization to my clear denial of interaction, he retreated his hand back to his side of the table but his smile still didn't fade. 

"The junior dorms are on the third floor, you can take the elevator to the right." He said, pointing to the elevator that was clearly right beside the table. 

Without saying anything or looking back, I stalked away. 

So much for an in and out operation, I thought.

None the less, before I could make a bigger fool out of myself for the umpteenth time that day, I followed the instructions that were given to me and entered the elevator.

The ride up was the best part of my day. It was, for the most part, silent.

No one trying to start a conversation with me.

No one in my personal space. 

The third-floor hallway was a little less forgiving. 

People flowed through the small space. Parents cried for their kids and kids hauled their mini fridges through the already cluttered hall.

365

366

367

368\. Finally.

I shoved my key through the keyhole and turned it.

As soon as I heard the click of the lock, I instantly pushed open the door and ran in, slamming the door behind me.

Imidatly, I threw all my luggage to the side and sunk my back down the surface of the dorm door and tucked my head between my knees, resting my arms on the back of my neck.

For a moment, I just sat there. Closing my eyes an hoping that maybe, just maybe, when I opened them I'd be at home. Maybe this had all been some kind of hallucination. 

Maybe my world as I knew it didn't just come crashing down right before my eyes.

But of course, the realization hit me, this wasn't the fucking 'Wizard of Oz', this was real life. I couldn't just click my heels and magically be home. 

I let out a sigh and slowly let myself look around my new living environment.

Everything was so symmetrical. 

The walls were a pure white color, matching the white sheets that lined the bed. Both of the beds were placed in the corner of the room, horizontally, against the wall. Next the beds, two wooden desks were placed side by side.

Slowly, I rose to my feet and tip-toed my way around the prison-like room, inspecting it further.

We had our own bathroom. 

My roommate wasn't here.

'Maybe he won't come and you'll have the room to yourself', I thought.

I approached one of the beds, sitting on it cautiously, claiming it as my own. 

Maybe, just maybe, this won't be as bad as I'm making it out to be.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: I'm crying. This was garbage and way longer than it was supposed to be.


	3. His Purity Fucks with Me

*Richies POV* 

In a devious attempt to call upon any kind of God or other forms of higher beings that I had failed to put even an ounce of belief in for the last 17 years of my life, I stopped at a church.

Not that it had been my first time, at a church I mean. As a child, I had been raised by Methodist parents and attended church not only once but twice a week. But as time passed on, like most angsty pre-teens in the midst of adolescence, the stale routine had bored me into nonbelief and I shied away from the religious scene.

Granted, I hadn't come here to suddenly make some kind of wholehearted change and see the better thing in life's, oh no. In all honesty, I hadn't even known this church existed prior to driving 30 miles from my hometown and stumbling upon it. The only thing that pushed me to turn off the main street into the deserted parking lot of this random church in the first place was the thought of what was waiting for me back at my college dorm.

From day one of summer break to the time that I finally showed the last of my luggage into the trunk of my 1988 Jeep Grand Waggoneer this morning I had been praying to anyone in the man-made Nirvana that would listen to let me return to a room without Henry Bowers.

I inwardly flinched at the remembrance of Bowers, who I had been trying to push into the deepest, darkest, parts of my brain for the entirety of summer break. (and maybe of the rest of my young life)

It wasn't until the autumn of my sophomore year at boarding school that I had the overwhelming pleasure that could only be described as living with the Devil, in the flesh. As much as I would love to be able to say that Henry Bowers was a charming, cunning, young fellow who swept me off my feet and wooed me but of course that would go under false pretenses.

To put it simply, Henry was and is an asshole.

For the first few months, I tried giving the benefit of the doubt. In my own personal theory, he had some deep-rooted mental problems, I'd conduct my own mini conspiracies that he was probably neglected as a child. I tried to stay in my own lane and out of the room as much as possible but as the year rolled on, he began to spew some homophobic, racist, fucking nonsense that revolted me beyond belief.

As a kid, I had a bad habit of running my mouth non-stop, that had naturally followed me into my teenage years, I didn't have the nickname Trashmouth for nothing.

Unfortunately, being that I did have that oh so wicked habit, I let one rid of the half-wit mullet wearing asshole.

And even more unfortunately, I got fucking pummeled that night. ( and every other night after that)

Silently, I tried to push all the negative thoughts out of my head. It can't be good to be thinking about the devil in a place of worship.

Not like I had stepped foot inside yet though. I was still sitting in the parking lot, drumming the pads of my thumbs along the worn leather of my steering wheel, half mindedly watching cars zoom down the main road through my window. I tore my eyes away from the main street, shaking myself out of my dream like state and peered through the windshield at the baronial building that towered intimidatingly in front of me, enticing me.

Naturally, at the end of the second semester and the end of my freshman year, I had immediately gone to the dorm parent for what seemed like the millionth time that year and begged down on my hands and knees to have a different roommate next year ( or better yet a single room).

Needless to say, I put more faith in the minor science in the human decency of a dorm parent then I do in the man upstairs answering my 'prayers' but I always have to keep my options open when stakes are high.

Mentally keeping that fact in mind, I decided that the parking lot would be far enough in my short attempt to find some kind of higher power to rid my demon. I reassured myself that God would get the message and hopefully do his do as I gingerly twisted the key in the ignition.

The engine sputtered in a low growl and the faint sound of the air from the air conditioning and 80's music filled the silence that once occupied the space in the car.

Once again, I pushed the memories of Bowers back into the deepest part of my brain along with Ajit Pai. At least there they won't be able to give me a conniption.

Almost an hour had gone by since I had my holy reawakening and the silhouette of the gate to the school materialized. I felt my heart pick up its pace slightly.

As I surveyed the entirety of the campus, the memories last year mushed together in a big cluster fuck all at once and played in my brain like a broken slide show. Things like sneaking out at 3 A.M. to hang out with Bev and movie marathons with Ben stuck out vividly from the rest. I subconsciously felt a smile toy its way across my lips at the memories. 

Admiditaly, sophomore year hadn't been as shitty as I had expected it to be. As long as I had avoided Bowers as much as possible which was a chore all on its own but all in all I had my friends at the end of the day and that was enough. 

That being said, I still would rather burn in hell than have to spend another year tip-toeing my way around Bowers like I'm walking on eggshells. In all honestly, I don't even know how he was still attending the school.

Sure, I hadn't been the best personality wise but I was an honor student. granted, I had to be but that was beside the point. 

I slowly pulled into around the back of the school into its subsidiary parking lot. Technically speaking, I wasn't allowed to bring my own car to the campus, no one was, but it's not like I had much of an option. 

My parents had their hands full at home and I didnt feel right asking them to take me of a 4 hour trip back to school. 

Not only that but I had worked my ass off all summer to get this car and I wasn't about to let it sit and rot away at my parent's house. She was special to me. 

I pulled into a parking spot towards the back of the parking lot. 

I mentally told myself that as long as I don't make a scene about it then I won't get in trouble. For a couple of minutes, after I pulled my key from the ignition, I just sat resting my head against the steering wheel. 

I couldn't believe I was finally back. A wave of relief instantly washed over my body. 

Not that it was something that Id share with anyone else, I hated being at my real home. Everything was so face value. 

Sure, I loved my parents and my sister but I had nothing to do. My mind as it was was restless and I always had to be entertained.

Back home there was no one for me to talk to. No Bev. No Ben. No Bill. No Mike.

I even managed to miss fucking Stanley of all people. 

I rubbed my hands against the surface of my jeans and reached for the handle ignoring overwhelming joy that pooled in my stomach. I bounced my way around to the trunk and carefully unloading my suitcases.

The cool autumn air blew leaves from the trees into the surrounding air. The damp smell, specific to fall, filed my nostrils and a content sigh left my lips.

As I continued my stroll towards the corridor that led to the courtyard, my luggage in tow, I couldn't help but spot the oh so familiar mass of messy firecracker red hair through the growing crowd of people. 

It was none other than Beverly Marsh standing in the middle of the grass field that stretched the entirety of the school's main courtyard. Her suitcases were sprawled carelessly by her feet and she had a sheet of white paper clutched between her hands that she was studying.

A grin instantly stretched across my face, I was almost scared that my face was going to split in half. 

I picked up the pace for a just walking to a light jog in an attempt to catch up with Beverly. 

" Beverly," I bellowed in an even further attempt to get her attention.

Some of the people in the crowd I was moving with jumped, startled by my sudden yelling. 

I was still some ways away from Bev but I was still in her line of hearing because she whipped around and started looking for the source that was calling her name. 

Fortunately, my legs were long ( I was like a human giraffe) and my head was towering at least a good 5" over the others in the crowd, making it easy for Bev to spot me. 

She quickly shoved the sheet of paper she was looking at into her checkered patterned overall pockets and sprinted over to me, leaving all her baggage where it was resting.

"Holy shit" She gasped out, crouching over slightly, resting the palms of her hands on her knees. As soon as she regained her composure, she dramatically threw the back of her hand onto her head and let out an outrageous puff of air.

I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Beverly, you ran a good 20 feet, 30 at max. I am almost positive you are not that exhausted"

"Hello to you too, Richard." She spat sarcastically, grabbing some of my suitcases from me. 

She began to walk in the direction from which she came, mumbling something about how that was ' the most exercise she's gotten in years'.

I couldn't say that I doubted that. 

We continued to walk, making small conversation about absolutely nothing, until we reached the poor floral print matching suitcases that were marked with sharpy that read 'Beverly' were left.

The two of us dropped my luggage on the ground, in a collective pile.

"So, whats the verdict on the Bowers rooming situation" Bev inquired.

"Honestly, I'm not sure yet."

I paused to push the cluster of loose curls that had fallen in front of my face back behind my ear.

"No one emailed me back about it over the summer. I swear, its like they have absolutely no sense of empathy for me. I'm probably going to get murdered before the year is over" I huffed dramatically. 

Bev snickered and I narrowed my eyes at her.

"It's not funny, Bev. If I go missing one day, Bowers is the first person that you need to question!" I exclaimed, grabbing her slim arms on both sides, shaking her slightly.

This only caused her to laugh harder.

She lightly brushed my hands off of her forearm and started picking up her own luggage and I followed, picking up my own.

"Well, If it makes you feel any better, I haven't even seen him around since I've been here."

Thank god, I thought. Maybe my prayers had been answered, or at least maybe the dorm parent probably took authority.

Eventually, Bev and I split ways to go to our individual gender assigned check-in areas after agreeing to meet up later together with the rest of the losers. 

As I walked across the field to my dorm table, I noticed no other than Big Bill standing next to the dorm parent behind the table. For the second time in the past half hour that I had arrived on campus, I broke into a face-splitting grin. 

Upon approaching the table itself, before I even had the chance to open my mouth to ask about the rooming situation, the dorm parent cut me off.

"Richard Toizer, your roommate this year is Edward Kaspbarak. Don't bother me anymore about it."

I stood in a silent shock. My mouth was hanging open but no noises were coming out.

The dorm parent let out an annoyed sigh and commanded me to keep moving down the line to get my key.

Edward Kaspbarak. 

Not Henery Bowers.

The world around me froze.

My mind was exploding with joy, I almost didn't hear Bill trying to talk to me. 

It wasn't until he waved his hand in front of my face, snapping me out of my mental celebration, that I had even acknowledged his existence. 

"Earth to Richie." He deadpanned.

A smile smeared across my face as I yelled out an overjoyed wail. 

" Bill, my buddy, my pal. Didya hear the good news?" I questioned, even though I was basically just screaming instead of actually talking.

Bill didn't respond. He just smirked to himself and dug through the bin of keys and pulled out mine. I bounced impatiently waiting for him to fully reach it out to me.

As soon as it was within my grasp, I instantly snatched it from his hands and kicked my luggage to the side where it was meant to be dropped off. 

As I sprinted away, I called over my shoulder to Bill that'd Id talk to him later.

I skillfully maneuvered my way through the crowd of students and parents that filled to the courtyard, making my way towards the boy's dormitory.

On the way, I spotted Stanley and I yelled a quick 'hello' to him, which was just returned with a disgusted look. ( Not that I was offended. That was Stans way of showing me affection)

When I reached the entrance doors to the dorm, I slowed down my sprint to a meer jog.

Squeezing my way through the door, I caught the eye of Mike. 

I was still sort of in a rush so I greeted him while I waited for the elevator to arrive told him about the meeting later and jogged off, packing myself into the elevator.

For the first time since I started my cross-country journey to the dorms, I had the realization that I had no idea who in the hell ' Edward Kaspbarak' was. 

And as the elevator got closer to reaching my floor I couldn't help but think about what if this 'Edward' kid was worse than Henery.

The doors slid open and as I stepped foot out from inside of it and into the hallway, I mentally shamed myself for thinking that there was anyone that could be worse than Bowers. 

The electrical tape that had been holding my glasses together for most of last year was a reminder of that fact. Granted, now most of the time I wear contacts but it was still the fact of the matter.

I shook the memories from my mind and let my eyes scan the numbers that were listed on the doors, getting higher as I continued my way down the hall.

365

366

367

368\. 

Finally.

For a moment, I stood there just staring at the surface of the door. My hand ghosted over the handle a couple times but every time I thought I was about to go through with actually opening it I pulled my hand back. I knew that I probably looked like a psychopath, just standing here playing hot and cold with the door but I could find the courage within myself to just open the fucking door.

I shook my head lightly and reminded myself that this was different. This was a different year. A different person.

I ghosted my hand over the knob but this time it was different. My hand, slowly but surely, lowered itself.

I gripped the cold surface of the knob and slowly twisted it, lightly pushing the door open as I did.

When the door was open enough for me to glance inside, I snaked my way inside and shut the door behind me.

As soon as I turned around I saw this boy sitting on the bed that occupied the right side of the room. 

Holy shit.

He was gorgeous. 

His chocolate brown eyes moved to meet mine and I couldn't help but drown in them. He had a constellation of freckles that spread across his face and connected from ear to ear. Self-consciously, probably from my staring, he awkwardly ran his hand through his hair and lightly stood up from his spot on the bed.

I wanted to say something. Anything. Just something to not make this as awkward as it already was but my mouth ran dry.

For the first time in my whole entire life. I, Richie Tozier, was speechless. 

As the boy inched his way closer to me, in a desperate attempt to form words I spat something out.

"Edward," I said simply. 

Fucking stupid. Who the hell else would it be? The fucking queen of England? 

Edward stopped in his tracks and looked at me quizzingly.

He licked his lips slightly and took his bottom lip between his teeth, biting it lightly. 

I heald my breath.

He looked like he wanted to say something but he was thinking it over.

Finally, he broke the silence.

"Eddie" 

My eyebrows furrowed a little bit. " What"

"You can call me Eddie" He clarified.

Eddie, I pondered.

"Eds" 

Eddies face instantly wrinkled in distaste and admittedly it was the cutest thing I have seen in my young life.

The shorter boy just shook his head lightly and mumbled: " don't call me Eds". 

With that, he turned back around and went back to sit on his bed.

My mouth worked before my mind had the chance to comprehend what was coming out of it.

"Well, Eds, I think you might have sat in sugar or something." I shot out.

Oh god, I thought. I couldn't stop it now.

He was about to sit back down but turned to face me then to the back of his shorts, lightly dusting them off. 

"What do yo-" 

Before he could finish, I cut him off.

" Because you have a sweet ass" 

Trashmouth strikes again. 

Sadly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was really really bad and I'm sorry. I've been trying to find a way to write this for a long time but it been really hard. I'm so sad because I think its probably really bad and sound rushed but at least I finished it i guess. 
> 
> Its been a really long time since I updated and I really want to re-upload this to give it a new start but IDK.
> 
> Also, somehow I managed to write over 3000 words. This is the longest chapter I've ever written in my entire life.


	4. Weird Honey

Eddie's POV

I was dumbfounded.

While I had personally never been flirted with, I knew from watching T.V. that 'flirting' was what this boy was trying to get at with me. Of course, there was a slight possibility that he wasn't, flirting with me I mean. But I doubted it.

My hands instantly dropped from foolishly trying to wipe the imaginary 'sugar' from by butt and hung by my side. Desperately, I tried to repress the red color that was springing to life on my pale cheeks but was failing.

I wanted to open my mouth and say something, anything. Maybe I had misheard him, I thought.

I had just met him after all, I'm sure he wouldn't just go off hitting on people, let alone his roommate. His male roommate.

"I'm sorry, excuse me?" I finally faltered.

The tall, lanky, boy began to stalk closer, making his way toward his own bed. He steadily reached out a single arm towards the sheets that covered the mattress and straightened hem out before going to take a seat.

For a moment, I thought he hadn't heard me talk. I know I had a tendency to talk almost ridiculously soft sometimes and not to mention that it wasn't helping that I was incredibly uncomfortable at the moment.

But just as I went to open my mouth to repeat myself, the curly haired boy spoke up.

"S' just, you have a nice ass is all." He said nonchalantly, a bit of humor hanging from his tone.

My whole face burned red, I could feel it. Words lodged themselves inside my throat, itching to all come out at once without fully committing to leaving the comfort of my mouth. I tried to study his face for some kind of sign that he was messing with me. He had to be, it must have been some kind of thing that they do here to newer kids.

I knew I was staring but what shocked me was that he was still staring back, waiting for me to say something.

A lazy smirk plastered its way across his face as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and his chin on top of his hands.

"Never been told that before? I'm shocked, appalled almost." 

His face twisted in a way that I had never seen another humans face appear in real life, T.V. maybe. He let out a theatric sigh and lightly shook his head in mock disappointment, " the world has denied you of the truth for too long. Thank god that you have me around to tell you these things". 

Finally, I tore my eyes away from the boy and brought them to my own bed, which had suddenly become incredibly interesting. For a moment, I stood there, not saying anything, eyes glued to the oh so interesting white sheets covering my bed. All the words that I had ever learned in my life all flooded my throat all at once for that felt like the hundredth time that day.

I desperately tried to push down the ones that would make me seem stupid or lame, but my mouth moved before my mind had the chance to tell it to stay shut. 

" ehhh--". Fuck, words, mouth. Use your words. 

For a moment, I considered just bolting out of the room and running away from the whole campus in itself. Running to some random gas station or restaurant, calling my mom, telling her that I cant do-- this. Tell her that I'm not cut out for being a productive, functioning, member of society. 

Reevaluating, I decided that, in this moment, I might just be better off trying to form complete sentences again and plan my master escape later.

"That was literally the worst pick up line I've ever heard in my life."

I sassed him.

Surprise flashed on my face, I could feel it, but I tried to wipe it away before he had the chance to notice. Personally, I had never been one to sass. Staying in my own lane was a specially, a craft. Years and years of being raised practicing nothing but the utmost respect for the wonderful woman that I call my mother refrained me from even word sass itself, god forbid actually taking on the tone myself. 

But as the words materialized in my mouth and forced their way through my mental sass barrier, I couldn't help but feel an odd sense of satisfaction. Like something in me had been waiting for this moment my whole life, a sassy alter ego I had been hiding in the deepest part of my brain just appeared.

"Weird, that not what your mom said. I used the same one on her earlier, she loved it" 

My eyes grew so wide that they almost popped inside of the socket. Still not turning my body to face the boy, I slowly raised one of my hands to my ear, rubbing it lightly. 

There had to be something wrong with my hearing because I know that there was no way that he actually just made a pass at my mom. Yeah, I could let him saying vulgar things to me go, but my mother was a different case.

Courage, that I hadn't even noticed building inside of me, pushed me to turn on my heels, doing a complete 180. Losing my balance from the sudden involuntary spin, I immediately regained my stature or rather attempted to.

It took me a moment to let my eyes move from the plain white wall surrounding the strange boy's bed and bring them to the strange boy himself. There was something in me almost screaming at me not to. 

It was probably because looking at him would mean acknowledging that he exists and in doing that it would lead to acknowledging what he said.

He was still sitting in the same pose that he held prior to my ignoring his existence. Stupid, lazy smirk plastered across his face, his eyes barely meeting mine due to the loose cluster of curls obscuring his line of sight.

Half expecting to say something immensely idiotic, I opened my mouth to save myself the brain cells. 

A light knocking on the door cut through before words had the chance to push any words out.

Richie unfolded himself from the position that he was in, his long limbs falling out clumsily. He stretched his arms above his head, his navel peeking out from under the hem of his hoodie. I couldn't help but notice the thin line of hair that connected the bottom where the cloth of his hoodie ended and ran to where his pants began. 

As he let his arms slowly lower, I tried to avert my eyes. For a moment, I scanned the entirety of the room. 

I mentally decided that it was in my best interest let my eyes settle on the door.

Richie was halfway there when the door swung open and someone followed in its movements, swooshing in.

A mass of fiery red color popped in my line of vision, it burned so brightly that I nearly yelled for Richie to get the fire extinguisher because there was a fire in our dorm, but I stifled it before it could come out. The tumbleweed of red was connected to a head, that was connected to shoulders, that was connected to a body. A body of a girl. A girl who had quite the mouth.

As soon as I made the scientific discovery that there was not, in fact, a fire but a girl in our dorm, I noticed that nothing but words had been flying out of her mouth since she invited herself in. From cuss words to absolute fucking gibberish. 

Subconsciously, I let my eyes scan the girl, then Richie. His face didn't register to be shocked, only amused. Every time he went to open his mouth to speak, the girl would get louder, almost as if to tell him to shut up without actually having to say it.

As much as I tried to understand what she was saying, I couldn't. Words spat out one after another, to fast for my ears to catch, not to mention that I was unintentionally studying the reactions from Richie.

After a while, not a long while but it was getting there, her breath heaved and she let out a sigh so big that I physically felt myself wobble from the impact.

"Are you done now, Beverly?" Richie questioned, an amused edge hanging on his tone. Everything about his stature told me that this was a common thing, from the way that he lazily crossed his arms to the way he let his glassed droop on the bridge of his nose. 

Tearing my eyes away from the boy, I let the girl's name resonate in my mind.

Beverly.

As I thought it, Richie verbalized it, in perfect sync.

The girl, Beverly, let out another dry sigh. " Yes, I am finished." 

"Lovely, I'd like to introduce you to my new roommate. My 'not Henery Bowers', sweet assed, roommate. Ed's meet Bev, Bev meet Ed's" 

An audible gasp slipped past my lips but it was nothing compared to the mental scream that was ringing throughout my whole nervous system. 

Opening my mouth to deny ever being his roommate and maybe even claiming to have been kidnapped and forced into this room, the girl, Bev, Beverly, cuts in.

"Beep Beep, Richie"

Oh god, I'm in the loony bin, I thought. No one is speaking English and everything is about ass. 

I need to get out of here immediately. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N; Lmao, a mess. I have written a mess and took 19302418 to upload it. Also, you guys can leave constructive criticism or suggestions in the comments. I want to get better at writing because, honestly, I cant write for jack shit.


	5. Boring Ecstacy

*Richies POV*

Disgust was the only word I could muster up inside my mind to describe the look plastered on the smaller boys face. 

He curtly looked around the room, analyzing every surface that spanned it and his mouth twitched slightly as if he was trying to find words. Bev was talking, I could feel the boom of her voice, but I couldn't hear a word she was saying. 

Eddie, wordless and confused, filled my ears with a weird warmish ringing. Not saying anything, not even making eye contact with me. Mentally, I decided that it was his presence that was doing this to me.

Kind of like when you're in the same room with a really, really, fucking cute puppy and everything else seems to dissipate in your brain and you have the overwhelming instinct to give the puppy all the love in the world.

Even my seemingly never-ending mouth motor shut off for a minute. Got an oil change or something. 

My legs twitched a little bit under me. They sent me signals, obviously conspiracizing against me with the help of my subconscious, begging me to inch closer to Eddie. And for the first time, like ever, my brain processed the situation before my body converged itself to just go forcing my legs stiff.

Slowly, Bev's voice turned back to my ears. From what it seemed like, she was having a very detailed one-sided conversation with Eddie about why water isn't wet. He didn't look even a bit interested but made some short grunts in attempt to make an effort to hint that he was. 

In desperate attempt to cut Beverly's conversation short, and stop myself from swooning over the boy any more than I already had, I reminded Bev that we were supposed to meet up with the other losers soon. 

Instantly her mouth stopped and she abruptly turned on her heels, her mouth formed in a small 'o' shape as she stared wide-eyed at me. 

"Damn, you're right," she mumbled, sounding almost disappointed. 

Clearly, in her mind, she was having a very 'interesting' conversation with Eddie.

"You know--"she turned back on her heels, now once again directing the conversation towards Eddie again, "you could join us.". 

An awkward silence immediately dropped itself into the room like a weight the fell from the sky, crashing through the ceiling and into the hardwood floor that spanned the room. Something that I couldn't necessarily call words eventually forced their way through Eddie's lips.

I licked my lips, trying to suppress a smirk, "Common Ed's, it'll be fun,". The choking from the boy stopped and he tore his eyes from Bev and brought them to me, narrowing them and they set on me. 

I knew oh so well that the stare was Eddie's attempt at a glare and it only made me want to tease him more. Daring myself to test the waters, I stalked a little closer, now standing by Bev's side.

"I'll get to show off what a beautiful roommate I got to all the others--", the smirk I tried repressing smeared on my face, "--It'll be great".

Bev dug her elbow into my side and I let out an audible yelp, " He has a nice ass! I just want everyone to know. Gesh." I mumbled, causing her to do it again. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her curtly shake her head in mock disappointment and look at Eddie, who was bright red, apologetically.

With a sigh, Bev tightly grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the door that led to the hallway. "I'm so sorry, Eddie.--" she said, "maybe next time when Trashmouth here isn't being a pig, we can all hang out".

Before he even had the chance to respond, I didn't expect him to even if he did, we were out the door. 

Immediately after the door shut behind us, Bev dropped my arm and punched me lightly on it. 

"You really, really, need to learn how to shut the hell up sometimes, Rich". She didn't sound mad, not even the slightest but I could tell she wasn't amused. 

As we walked down the hall, the identical from doors that lined the walls surrounding us, I mentally considered the outcomes of confessing to Bev that I have been convinced that Eddie hung the fucking moon. 

That, even with just having had met the boy, my heart has already grown at least 10 times its size just from being in his presence. 

From years of knowing Bev, I always would like to tell myself that I know her. Telling myself that I could read her reaction as they typed themselves out to be presented on her face, but she was more complicated than that. 

That being said, the outcomes of her reaction spanned out neatly in a list longer than it took Big Bill to stutter out an answer in class when the teacher called on him. 

By the time we had reached the elevator, I was still trying to decide wheater it was a good idea to tell Bev about my new found, revolutionary, discovery. As we stepped in, pressed the button, and the elevator had started its way down I had made my alacritous decision.

Deciding that a knowing Bev was better than a bottled up Richie, who was bound to bust sometime or another because even if I couldn't fully read her, she could read me. And she always did, like a well-loved fucking book. 

I glanced at my discombobulated refection in the elevator door and then the Bev.

"I think I'm in love." I blurted out.

The doors opened and I stepped out but Beverly didn't follow. Nervously, I turned on my heels to face her, waiting desperately for her reaction.

For a moment, she just stood there. Her face so blank she almost turned into a human piece of printer paper. 

And for a moment, I was ready to turn around and bolt. Running to where ever my legs took me. Not stopping until, when I came back, enough time would have passed for me to just pretend like nothing had ever come out of my mouth in the first place. 

But just as I made my final decision to make a break for it, Bev broke out into a fit of laughter. She was laughing so hard that when the elevator doors went to shut, she couldn't even muster to stop it. Forcing me to jam my hand between the doors just as they finalized their closing, contracting them back open.

Clutching her stomach, she stepped out. Theatrically whipping her eyes, even though there was nothing there, and she desperately tried to stifle her laughter. 

"Richie! My dude!--" laughter cutting her off, "this isn't some badly written fanfiction".

I give her a moment to regain her composure. 

She continues, "You just met him, harassed him, and, no offense, he's not that interesting. Why are you suddenly so charmed?".

Thinking it over, I couldn't really put it in full, cohesive, sentences what it was that did it. What wooed me.

Maybe it was the fact that he wasn't Bowers. 

Maybe it's the freckles that littered his cheeks, horizontally spanning in a line that connected his ears.

Or maybe it was the way his mouth moved when he formed words. 

A list of maybes, longer than the 'Bev outcomes' list, formed in my brain.

Shit, I mentally swore.

Maybe my life is turning into a badly written fanfiction and maybe having Eddie as a roommate will be more fucked than having Bowers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was shit... I want to improve my writing but I don't know how. (also I want to have a normal updating schedule but it is physically impossible for me)


	6. His Sacred Heart Fucks with Me

*Eddies Pov*

I stood in an everlasting state of shock. 

Even after the door slammed behind them and I couldn't hear anything but the muffled sounds of other students passing by, I still stood there.

This "school" had to be some kind of clown college. There was no way in holy hell that this school was for regular, functioning, members of society. Not that I would know the difference anyway, technically the fact that I had been stowed away in the same house, in the same city, for years I didn't really know what it was like to be a 'functioning' member of society.

The world could have burned around me years ago, burned completely to ashes, and I wouldn't even blink. I'd just stand there, how I am now, in shock.

After standing in the same spot for awhile, my short-lived PTSD experience began to wear off. I realized that I had been standing around a little longer than necessary and that I could be in shock sitting down on my bed. 

Trying to take my mind off the past situations as I sat down, I tried to recall when luggage drop-off to the room would start. As I looked around the bare room, I couldn't help but think about how prison like it was. 

Granted, even when I do get to put my own belongings in their places, it would still feel like a prison regardless. 

The room, in general, felt cold and fabricated. 

I tried not to think about it, pushing the thoughts to the back of my mind, but they kept pushing their way back up. Reminding me that there was no one here for me, not my mom, not my 'friends' (or lack thereof). It was just me, Eddie, alone in a room.

Sure, I also had a 'roommate' but it was very obvious that we won't get along. (Or rather I won't get along with him.)

For a moment, my mind, for the first time in awhile, when clear. I laid back, hesitantly resting my head on the pillow that had been placed on the surface of the bed, and lightly shut my eyes. 

I would have fallen asleep in that moment, the mental exhaustion was overpowering, but a blunt knock sounded from the door immediately causing me to jolt upwards. 

silently, I weighed out my options.

I could, one, answer the door, considering that it might be important.

Or I could, two, pretend that I don't hear anything and just go to sleep and maybe never wake up.

I decided to go along with the first option, considering that it's probably just luggage and the faster I get the bullshit out of the way the faster I can sleep my anxieties away. Quietly sighing, I threw my legs back over the bed and pushed myself off, letting the pads of my feet stabilize on the ground before I fully headed to the door.

Walking past the bathroom and approaching the door, I scanned the door's surface for a peephole. The same time that I spotted the peephole was the same time that I had finally reached the door in itself. I stood on my tippy toes doing best I could to actually successfully look through the hole.

Peering through the hole, I made out the silhouette of a person. The person looked to have some kind of mullet or something and had a stack of luggage set next to them.

As I fell back on the heels of my feet, I shook the image of them having a mullet. The couldn't have, no one has had a mullet since the fucking 1970's.

I gently reached my hand out to the doorknob and turned it slowly. 

As soon as the door cracked open, the person on the other side shoved it open way harder than necessary, I had to quickly jump back to get out of the way.

An instant wave if shock surged in my body, for more reasons than one.

One being, it obviously wasn't an accident that he pushed the door open like that. He was angry about something.

And for two, the figure, a teenage boy, certainly was sporting a mullet. Wearing that fucker like he was fucking David Bowie.

My eyes scanned the entirety of his body. He had on a polo that was obviously property of the school along with khaki pants and a nametag that read 'Henry Bowers-- Special helper'. 

He towered over me angrily but he wasn't looking at me. His eyes were scanning around the room wildly like he was looking for something or someone. I tried to open my mouth to speak but it was dry and I only made a quite choking sound.

Admittedly, I had never been more scared of a man wearing khakis, I could physically feel the fear coming off me.

For the first time since he pushed his way in the room, his eyes fell onto mine but our eyes didn't meet because I instantly took them from him and looked literally everywhere else but I could feel the angry heat of his eyes on me.

"Wheres Bucky Beaver" the boy growled.

Out of reaction, I took a step back, thinking carefully before I responded.

"I'm sorry, who?"

The boy, Henry Bowers, sighed angerly and pounded his fist against the surface of the wall.

"Richie fucking trashmouth Tozier! Tall, lanky, gay. Where is he?"

Wow, I thought sarcastically. The boy had such a way with words tall, lanky, and gay, a true poet. Obviously, this kid was looking for Richard, and even more obviously not for good reasons. Even though I couldn't care less about the array of bad thing that could happen to the boy, I would probably feel really guilty if he got murdered or something.

Pushing the urge to tell the truth, that Richie went to meet with the other 'losers', to the back of my head, I said simply, "I've been wondering the same thing. He hasn't got here yet."

His eyes narrowed evilly at me, "so you mean to tell me that he just dropped off his luggage earlier today and magically disappeared" he questioned.

Saving myself the possible slip up, exposing own white lie, I simply kept my mouth shut and gave him an innocent stare.The mullet headed boy grunted some words that I couldn't understand due to the pressure filling my head and he waltzed back to the frame of the door where the luggage still sat.

He glared at me once more and shoved all the luggage through the door in one swift shove and stomped off.

As I stared at the mountain of suitcases that pilled on the floor in front of me, I could slowly feel the pressure slowly releasing from my head and sanity taking its place. A small feeling of relief filled me for what felt like the first time ever since I had gotten to this place. 

Finally, I could feel like I have a piece of home here. Something that, no matter how lost I felt, could make me feel secure. 

Trying to take my mind off the shit show that was this day, I pushed all of Richie's stuff over to his side of the room and brought my stuff over to mine and began to unpack.

Placing pictures on my bedside table, carefully folding my clothes and tucking them into the dressers reserved for us. 

Continuing all the way up to the point where all the suitcases that I had come with were almost nothing but empty shells, my side of the room had finally started to look like someone lived there. I began to zip my empty suitcases up and stowed them away under my bed and lightly threw myself onto the mattress.

I glanced at the clock that I had placed onto the bedside table and noted that almost two hours had gone by since I started my interior remodeling and about three since Beverly removed the party clown that was Richard from the premises.

As I leaned back in my bed, I mentally prayed that maybe he would never come back. Or if he did happen to come back, he would be at least 100000 times quieter and less obnoxious. I lightly grinned to myself at the thought. 

The prior stress that I had accumulated had gotten less heavy but as the weight of stress got lighter, my eyelids got heavier and slowly started to close.

The noise from out in the hallway suddenly started to sound more and more distant as my eyelids began to fully come to a close. 

Just as my consciousness began to fade out, an ear-piercing yell echoed throughout the room.

"Eddie-spaghetti!"

Shit

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LMAO this was garbage. 
> 
> I always say that but this chapter was trash and I took SO long to update,,, sorry


	7. Weird Honey

Richie's POV*

Meeting with the losers was just the same as it had always been. Just a bunch of annoying teenagers yelling over each other about nothing particularly intelligent or relevant. And that was just the way I liked it.

But, we did, of course, go over the topic of my roommate. Or rather who my roommate wasn't.

Even before I had the terrible misfortune of having Henery Bowers as a roommate, he had made it a point to make his presence known to me and my group of friends. Beating our shit in whenever he saw an open opportunity too and he had hit the lottery sharing a room with me last year. 

The only upside, if you could even call it that, was that I had become the main victim of his torment, relieving the other losers of some of the task of being Henry's punching bags.

I didn't spare them the details of who my new roommate was, however. But strangely enough, a good majority of them had already seemingly had a run in with Eddie before I even had the chance to meet him. 

I took it upon myself to spare them the details of me doing what I do best aka running my mouth relentlessly and Eddie being the victim of it. But that didn't stop the oh so lovely Beverly from filling in the blanks.

Shortly after I had been exposed, the losers and I disbanded to head back to our dorms.

And that brought me to where I am now. Standing awkwardly in front of the door that separated me from Eddie. Mentally, I reminded myself about twenty times that I, under any circumstances, should run my mouth when I finally did enter the room. No matter how desperately I wanted to.

My hand ghosted over the handle of the doorknob. I slowly let myself take a deep breath before turning the knob and pushing the door open. 

Instantly, I put mind over matter. My mental pact with myself I had just set disappearing from the plane of my mind. My mouth moved before my mind even had the chance to stop me.

"Eddie-spaghetti!" I yelled out, my voice bouncing off the walls loudly.

The boy was laying in his bed. An instant wave of regret washed over my body, realizing that he was obviously either asleep or trying to get to that point.

I heard a small sigh emerge from his lips and he pushed himself up from the bed slightly, balancing himself on his elbows to look at me. His face was painted with a clear expression of annoyance. 

"Why are you yelling?" he spat, it was clear that he was trying to be calm but his voice was dripping in a thin layer of anger. 

I stared back at him blankly before letting my expression switch, a small smile pushing its way onto my face. I knew it wasn't appropriate, especially in the context of the situation, but he just looked so cute.

His, once neat and perfect hair, was featured in all different directions and his cheeks were painted a sheer tint of pink most likely from the anger. Even though he was disheveled by definition, oddly enough he was probably the most perfect thing I've ever seen. 

"Sorry, I didn't realize." I said simply, saving myself the risk of voicing my admiration for his state in the chance that he'd just end up more mad than he already was.

He tore his eyes off of me and shook his head lightly in disappointment, his hair shaking slightly along with it. 

"Of course you didn't." he mumbled under his breath, almost so quiet that I didn't catch it. Slowly, he sat up all the way and threw his legs over the edge of his bed. 

He sighed, "Well I guess since I'm up, your luggage arrived earlier. I put it on your side of the room." he motioned to the suitcases just across from him. I glanced in the direction that he motioned in, somehow I hadn't even noticed them being there. Probably because my eyes were glued to the smaller boy, starting from the point that I had stepped foot in the dorm. I moved my eyes from my suitcases and let them stretch across the entirety of the room. 

I noticed that things had changed since the last time I had been in the room. The empty space that once occupied a majority of the room had been replaced on Eddie's side. The walls of his side remained clean but his desk and dresser were lined with an array of different items, ranging from an inhaler and disinfectant wipes to his laptop that was resting on his desk.

I slowly took a couple of steps deeper into the center of the room. 

"You have asthma?" I questioned, peering at the boy over my shoulder. I reached out and picked up the aspirator, inspecting it thoughtfully. 

I heard a soft thud and then the aspirator disappeared from out of my hands, a smaller set coming into my line of vision quickly before disappearing, taking the inhaler with them. 

"I do and I wish you wouldn't touch my stuff." Eddie mumbled. He reached for the disinfectant wipes that were sat on his dresser and pulled a single one from the container and used it to wipe the aspirator off.

I watched him curiously as he set the inhaler back on his desk. He made no effort to look back up at me but it was obvious that he could feel me staring. 

"Oh, also. The guy that dropped off the luggage was looking for you." he said, leaning over to throw the wipe away. 

"Little ol' me? I knew I was popular but I didn't know I had fans looking for me" I joked loosely, "Did you catch his name?"

Eddie bit his lip thoughtfully and I mentally cursed at myself, restraining myself from opening my mouth to say something inappropriate. I don't know what it was but looking at Eddie's lips did something to me. 

I stared at them as the answer finally slipped out of his mouth, "Harold, I think".

Then his brows furrowed lightly, "No, it was Henry Bowers. He had like a mullet."

Shit. 

Holy shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LMAO its almost been a year since I last updated this story. Is anyone still reading this?


	8. If there's a cool spot in hell

*unedited*

Eddies POV*

Uneasy was one word to describe the look painted on Richie's face. Maybe scared might fit the description better.

His already magnified eyes grew even bigger under the speculation of his thick glasses as he wordlessly let his mouth hang agape. For the first time since I met him, and probably the first time ever in his existence, the boy was speechless. The rapid everflowing river that was Richie's mouth had run dry. The only sound occupying the queer silence was the dry sound of Richie's large hand running nervously across his forehead to his hair as he pulled at it lightly.

I watched as his mouth moved, the words forming in his mouth just ready to pass the threshold but quickly melted back into his throat, internalizing the thought and replacing it with a sight. Slowly, he unwinded his finger from the grip he had on his hair and let his arms drop heavily to his sides. Momentarily, he turned his back to me as he inched his way over to his side of the room. He swiftly spun around and roughly sat on the bed before throwing himself down.

I studied him intently, a bit envious that even though the entirety of his back was pressed against the bed, his feet were able to touch the floor. A luxury that I still had yet to experience.

His hands and arms slid across the naked bed. The room was so quiet that I could practically hear the creaks of the cheap dorm bed that were rhythmically syncing every time Richie's chest rose and fell in accordance with his breathing. 

Finally, his voice cut through the air "Have you any idea what this means, Eddie-spaghetti?".

Against my better judgment, I pondered the possibility of an answer, if there had been any. The question in itself might as well just been rhetorical because lord knows I have no idea what business mullet-man had with my roommate.

"You're overdramatic?" I mumbled.

The mattress, once again, squeaked weakly under Richie's weight as he pulled his back up from them, sitting to look at me. His eyes squeezed themselves shut and he let out a hard sigh from his nose as a hard frown flashed on his lips.

He lowly whined, "I wish that were the case.". Then, "you didn't tell him where I was, did you?"

My brows furrowed. The fact that Richie was insinuating that I kept tabs on his every movement disgusted me to my very core. Even though I did clearly know where he was, that wasn't just information that I think are fascination icebreakers to share with strangers. Actually talking to Richie was bad enough, what would I gain from talking about him?

"No," I said simply. Then the question popped into my head.

And my mouth moved before I could think better of it, "Who is he anyway?"

Richie stared at me for a secondly, with a look that almost resembled amazement. 

"You lucky, lucky soul. I wish I didn't know Henry- fucking- Bowers." 

I stared back at him, waiting for an actual answer to my question in place of the blank statement that I was met with. He lightly moved his hand to hover over his heart and stayed there just an inch over it before lightly letting the hand fall flat against the surface of his chest.

Maybe I was right, Richie was just terribly overdramatic. There couldn't have possibly been any critical consequence for someone as seemingly carefree as Richie. For all I knew, which was nothing at face value, Henery was just another one of the 'losers'. 

I briefly let my mind wander to the foggy image of Beverly then I let my eyes wander to Richie. thinking about the whole situation, that Henery guy didn't really seem like he would fit in that clique. Maybe it was the mullet or his visible constant state of anger, but I guess beggars can't be choosers.

"Is he your friend or something?" I asked, attempting to settle my speculations.

Richie dry heaved, "absolutely not. Henry Bowers was my roommate last year. He made my life an absolute living hell."

He loudly let out a sight that was mixed with a low growl, the kind you hear children make in the supermarket when their mom tells them they can't get any candy or something.

"He broke all my shit and ragged on me all the time. Sometimes it was just verbal but I tend to let my mouth run a little bit too much and that would escalate the situation. Basically, I just got my ass handed to me all last year, to the point that I would be basically everywhere except my dorm just to avoid him."

I eyed him suspiciously. Basically, he was telling me that he instigated his own demise. I've only know Richie for an estimated grand total of about six hours and I've already had to resist the urge to physically assault him a couple of times. But I still felt bad for the boy, against my better judgment. 

I was just a small boy, even though I would deny that if anyone else were to make the statement, and if I were to try to fight Richie my fists would most likely collapse on impact. Henry, however, looked like he could cave in your skull with a mere flick to the forehead. I could only imagine how Richie even managed survived. 

Richie's expression softened. Melted into a much more serious version of Richie, almost like he took on a persona.

"He went after my friends too, a couple times actually. Him and his fucked up friends were always looking for the opportunity to fuck with us. Like its fine that I'm getting shit but my friends? That's a line that didn't need to be crossed."

I couldn't really tell if his goal of telling me all this was to make me pity him, but it if it was, it was working. It might have all been overdramatized bullshit or it may not have but something about it made my heart sink for him. It made me feel relieved, for his sake, that I was now his roommate in place of Henry. The burden had been lifted from his shoulders but passed down to me due to the fact, as much as I couldn't help to pity him, he was agonizingly annoying.

For a moment, Richie sat there in silence occupied in his own thoughts.

I don't know exactly why but I had the compulsion to fill the silence. It was suffocating me and the look on the boy's face wasn't exactly helping it.

"Why didn't you tell or something?"

In reaction to the quip of my voice, Richie raised his gaze to match mine. My own question echoed in my head, what kind of question is that? That's like asking a domestic abuse victim why they stayed with the abuser. Fear, guilt, they did but no one believed them.

I stared at him and he stared back. 

"Well for one, his dad is head security around here so I knew nothing would happen if I did. But two, it was my battle to fight. If that makes sense."

My eyebrows knitted together. His 'battle to fight'?

He studied my expression, picking up on my clear confusion.

"I just mean, it was my problem. There was no reason for other people to lose daylight worrying weather Richie Tozier was getting ragged on by a guy with a mullet. As long as my friends were okay-" he paused and pulled his eyes away from mine. 

I watched as they moved to look out the window. The sun, that was high in the sky when we first began talking, was now shying away behind the array of buildings lining the horizon. 

"Who cares what happens to me." he said finally, his voice slightly lighter than before.

His eyes moved to meet mine one last time before he threw himself back on his bed.

I sat in silent shock.

"What do you think Beyonce dreams about?" Richie questioned, with genuine curiosity.

And while I heard the question, it swept right past me. I just stared at the boy. 

The broken boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is anyone even reading this fic LMAO? I'm thinking Richie is one of them kids that are really happy and chatty but also sad on occasions on accident and accidentally overshare to strangers(me).


	9. I hope you get it

*Richies POV 

Sometimes, or more like most of the time, words had the habit of formulating out my mouth before I have half the mind to approve the context of what is actually being said. And while there are times that my habit of running my mouth had been a blessing, like when I say something that's in the spur of the moment hilarious. There were also times where I say something hurtful or weirdly depressing and self-deprecating, and typically those times tend to be a real mood killer. 

Now, had been one of those times. And while, as the words were coming out of my mouth it wasn't that obvious to me that that's what I was doing, I could tell by Eddie's reaction that I was doing it. To me, it all sounded the same. I make jokes and, in part, I am a joke. But inevitably this made some people uncomfortable. 

Maybe it was my oversharing or maybe it was my 'self-disposability for the sake of friendship' motto but there was a pitiful tension in the air. I was so thick, I could barely breathe in its defense. 

If there was anything worse than oversharing, it was the pity that it attracted. The unwanted attention that seemed wanted because of my horrible habit of not knowing the limits of conversation.

I threw myself against the surface of my bed again, the cheap mattress squeaking under me. 

The fact about knowing that you have a bad habit is knowing how to justify it to others. Knowing how to lighten the situation in any way possible. 

I waited a moment, staring at the blank ceiling before deciding on the perfect distraction to pull away the moment we were freezeframed in.

"What do you think Beyonce dreams about?" 

The question itself was meant to be a distraction, but my inevitable genuine curiosity slipped through. It was a question that piqued my mind quite often and usually, it helped me get my mind to move off things I don't want to think about.

Patiently, I half mindedly waited for Eddie to pitch in with his answer but the moment never came. Tings of anxiety pierced my heart, I had already come off as a flirty asshole but now I was a weird depressed, flirty asshole.

My eyes fluttered closed, and I bellowed a low sigh under my breath some of my anxieties blowing away with it. Thinking about it, I guess I could use this to my advantage. If Eddie was all around repulsed by me, maybe that will cause him to stay as far away from me as possible cutting all possibilities of conversation. I guess in hindsight, my horrible ability to make a good first impression might be my weird superpower. 

At this point, I had enough friends to not really need to invest any time in making more. 

So I could have the luxury of admiring Eddie without ever really interacting head-on. I guess in a way I could act like this room was an art museum and Eddie was the Mona-fucking-Lisa and I by no means can interact with the masterpiece. Don't touch the painting, no flash photography, and don't talk to the painting because you'll just look like a fool. Those were the rules I needed to live by.

Through my thought of this little fantasy roleplay I made, I could hear small squeaks from the bed parallel to me. Those followed by a small padding sound that faded and then the click of a door.

Then a faucet, running water, a sound of shaking almost resembling a maraca. All of which hinted that Eddie was occupying the bathroom. And in this time, I took it upon myself to change into my pajamas. 

Quietly, I sat up from my bed and pushed my body up. I slowly walked over to my suitcase, that still had yet to be unpacked, unzipped it and blindly reached in to pull out a t-shirt. Once succeeding the goal, not even bothering to zip the suitcase back up, I threw the new shirt on my bed and pulled the shirt I was wearing off. I lazily threw it aside before moving to do the same with my pants. 

I walked back over to my bed and grabbed the bunched up shirt, sipping it over my head and shoving my arms in the sleeve. After succeeding in my pajama mission, I moved my hand up to my face. Carefully, I grabbed my glasses and eyed them intently inspecting for smudges. 

Like always, there were about ten million fingerprints. Even though this was like clockwork for me, it never ceased to amaze me how something that just sat on my face all day could get so filthy. 

I slid my free hand, that wasn't occupied with the glasses, under my shirt and whipped off my lens with my shirt. Being that I was so focused on cleaning my disgusting glasses, I didn't even notice that Eddie had finished his bathroom business,

"Oh mother of Treasa, Richard. What are you doing?" A small voice croaked out, disgusted. 

I spun around, my hand falling from out of my shirt, only to be met with a large beige colored blob. I squinted at Eddie but knowing damn well that I was just about legally blind quickly slipped my glasses back on. And now I was met with a clearer version. A version that that had his hand covering his eyes and cute flannel pajama pants with a grey t-shirt about three sizes too big for him.

Knowing that if I didn't answer his question in a timely manner, I would verbally swoon about how cute he looked, I speed up the process. 

"Cleaning my glasses, what are you doing?" 

I watched as his fingers separated slightly, peaking at me through them, before shutting back again tightly. He walked sideways slowly, the hand that wasn't covering his eyes blindly reaching for his bed frame.

"What are you wearing? Where are your pants?" He asked, ignoring my question and rebutting with two of his own.

Looking down I scanned the entirety of my attire, a black hand-me-down band tee and boxers, before looking back at Eddie who was not returning my gaze. Knowing that he couldn't see me, a smile pasted its way across my face in an attempt to replace the laughter that was dying to burst out of me.

I had never thought of this to be a scandalous outfit. 

"It probably got swallowed up by all the fabric you have in that huge shirt you have on." I replied smugly. 

This caused Eddie to swallow his own pride and move his hand to glare at me. "I'll have you know that this is my mom's shirt" he quipped. Quickly, I turned around saving myself from laughing in front of Eddie about his mom and his pride for wearing her clothes. It was endearing but also sad on many different levels.

Slowly, I turned on my heals wordlessly letting my back face the boy. Remaining myself of the mental rule that I had set for myself as I drew back the blanket of the bed. As I threw myself onto the surface of the bed and pulled the covers over myself, I mentally added a single penalty tally for accidentally breaking my own rule. And as my eyes slowly fell closed, I added a second one for letting the thought that 'rules were made to be broken' cross my mind.

Just before falling into my slumber, I contemplated whether I should sare today's interaction with her. Leaning more towards advising myself against it, sleep greeted me. 

And I silently prayed that it would keep me, at least until the year was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started writing this around 5am so majority of this is garbage. But also, I really want to make a Reddie wizard AU but I have 4 ongoing fics. Im thinking about discontinuing 2 of them and replacing them with the wizard au.


	10. If there's a cool spot in hell

Eddies POV* 

Throughout the night I lay in my bed restlessly, plagued by my own thoughts preventing me from the sleep I craved. I stared up at the dark ceiling that had thin golden streams of the outside light streaming in from the window, preventing the room from being pitch black. 

Through the hours that I had been awake, I was temped continuously to peer over at the sleeping boy just diagonal to me. Somehow convinced that maybe, just maybe, seeing him would calm my racing thought knowing that he was the reason that I was like this. 

Growing up, I never really experienced the emotions of others being that It was mostly just me and my mother. And beyond that, most of my experiences with other people was from behind a screen and a keyboard or the cashiers at the pharmacy. But that being said, the angsty tv I sneakily watched when my mom wasn't awake taught me enough to pick to pick on what it might have been like. 

My small hands found their way to my face, pushing my eyelids down trying to rub the pity away but to no avail. My hands were cold against the warm surface of my skin, causing my mind to momentarily calm.

I hated this. I hated caring for a person who I barely knew and was immensely exasperated by, not even entirely knowing exactly why. Most bothersome was that, even with all that, what upset me most was that I couldn't do anything for him and even if I did the starting point for that process was still a mystery.

But maybe my Richie complex was just a facade protecting me from admitting that I was just homesick and sleep deprived. Just a distracting keeping me from thinking too much of where I'd be now if I was at home in the comfort of my own bed. In this realization, I let my hands slowly slip from the surface of my face, back down to my bed. My chest rose as I took in a calming deep breath and fell as I exhaled, most of my anxieties floating into the air with it.

My chest, once heavily, was now very light, the heaviness moving to my eyelids My slate had been cleared of false sensitivity and was replaced by the feathering of sleepiness.

. Of course, this couldn't have been about Richie, he was just a boy. Just a boy that I didn't know and didn't care to know. 

My head grew heavily causing it to fall to the side, forcing me to look in the direction of the sleeping boy that was just plaguing my thought. I unintentionally watched him out of my half-lidded eyes, studying the steady rhythm of his duvet rising and falling as he breathed quietly. Studying the pattern on his curls, dimly lighted by the streams of the streetlight. 

The strain on my neck from the awkward position I was laying in caused me to flip onto my side and out of sheer sleepy laziness, it happens to be on the same side my head was already resting in.

The small slithers of Richie's skin that wasn't covered by the blanket was left exposed and, like his hair, it glowed under the lights stipulation. 

My eyes fell closed, but this time they stayed that way. 

'He's just a boy', I thought one last time. And with that the sleep took me.

But just as quickly as it took me, it left me. This time, however, it was morning or that was what I would assume. Classes wouldn't start for at least a couple more days now so it would only be natural that I may have slept into the evening given the state I had gone to bed in.

Slowly, I sat up in my bed and raised my arms over my head. I starred out into space in front of me, letting my eyes adjust to the blinding light that filled the room before dropping my arms and reaching down to my phone. I pulled the charger cord out from the bottom and pressed the home button. 

Six notifications, all from my mom checking up on me. Ignoring them, I let my eyes move to the time. 

1:34 P.M.

Shock filled my body causing a small gasp to slip from my lips. I had fully expected that I might have slept in a little later than usual but this was a bit of a stretch. I threw my phone back onto my bed before throwing my duvet off my legs.

As I turned my body in preparation to get out of bed and start the day, I noticed that Richie's bed was now empty. Empty and unmade, this of which caused me to inwardly cringe. Before curiosity of his whereabouts had time to peak my mind, I distracted myself with other things. Thinking about the curly haired boy needed to be the least of my worries, an afterthought.

Quickly, I smoothed out my sheets making sure that my bed was net before moving on to the rest of my routine. My feet padded across the cold floor over to my dresser that displayed a variety of different pills and victims on the surface organized neatly in my pill organizer. I swallowed them down one by one before opening the dresser itself to pull out some fresh clothes and a towel.

From there, I started my way towards the bathroom but just before I could actually step foot into the bathroom itself a there was a knock on the door. The shock from the sudden knock cause me to drop all my things, a large plop errpuped as my clothes hit the ground ruling out my option to ignore the person due to the fact that they knew I was in the room.

I scattered to pick up my clothes and moved to the door, standing on my toes to look through the peephole. I had to make sure that it wasn't that Bowers kid again, and to my luck, it wasn't. Just two boys. One with short rusty colored hair and the other with blonde curls. 

I fell back onto the balls of my feet and reluctantly swung the door open. 

My eyes scanned them fully, not being obstructed by the fisheye effect of the peephole. I had recognized these boys from the move in.

"Oh, hi. Is Richie here?" the one with the short hair asked. If I had remembered correctly when I had met him earlier, he had an extreme stutter but it didn't seem to be present now.

"No," I responded simply. I could only assume the two of them had come on terms of the school, due to the fact that they were playing that role yesterday.

"Oh," he said again

Then,"you're Eddie, right?". I nodded back at him wordlessly, not really knowing what else to say. Not even paying any mind to my stark awkwardness, the boy beamed a warm smile at me, "how are you holding up? You been auh-a-around the c-campus any?" he asked.

As I suspected, he did have a stutter. 

"No, not really." I responded, trailing off slightly. 

"Well, if you want, we could show yuh-you around." he said, jutting a thumb at the wordless boy behind him who was staring blankly into empty space before snapping back to life, nodding in agreement. 

"Now?" I asked, a nod from the boy in response. I eyed him, thinking better of taking him up on this offer. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that if I had gotten out of the dorm, I wouldn't have to face Richie when he came back. And maybe, if I would be able to make friends with these boys, it would mean I could spend a little time in this dorm as possible. I could be out with them, hanging out away from Richie.

Before I could think too much about it and change my mind, I nodded, taking the boys offer. The red-haired boy smiled down at me even harder then he had bee doing before. 

"Sweet! Oh yeah, I'm Bill and-" he just his thumb at the boy behind him again, "and that's Stan."

I let their names replay in my head. Bill and Stan. 

Two seemingly normal boys. 

A small wave of relief wash over me, there was no way two boys like this would even interact with Richie. 

I was free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if the ending was bad, I'm very tired lol and I cant comprehend what I'm writing. I was supposed to start this chapter hours ago but I fell into a youtube hole, watching cany making videos. 
> 
> Anyway, leave me a comment!


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